Game 1 Box
Game 2 Box
Johnson City, Tenn. – The Radford Softball team was swept by East Tennessee State, 5-2 and 8-0, Tuesday afternoon from Metro-Kiwanis Park in Johnson City, Tenn. In the first game, Ashleigh Brooks (Virginia Beach, Va.) walked in the seventh inning, setting a new record for a single season with 22. She is now just two shy of the career mark of 65.
East Tennessee State (22-26) got on the board early in game one, as they took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first. Pitcher Tiffany Vandergriff led the inning off with a single to left field. After stealing second, she came home on an RBI single by sophomore left fielder Rhea Holler. That run ended Deanna Benner's earned run streak at 30 and two thirds innings.
Radford (16-35) took a 2-1 lead after scoring two runs in the top of the third. Shortstop Amber Drexel (Louisville, Kent.) singled to left field to lead off the inning. She scored on an error that followed a single by third baseman Brooks. She would came home on an RBI single by catcher Payton Nash (Woodbridge, Va.).
The Bucs regained the lead and put the game out of reach with a four-run fifth inning. Right fielder Amy Moore led the inning off with a single to left field. After Mary Beth Hazelwood was hit by a pitch, Moore came home on a single by Vandergriff. The next batter, Danielle Spetar doubled to left field to score Hazelwood. Pinch-hitter Julia Chance singled home Vandergriff. Spetar scored would score the final run of the game on an error after a strikeout.
Vandergriff (6-8) pitched her 11th complete game of the season, allowing no earned runs on eight hits, striking out five. Benner (8-9) also went the distance, allowing four earned runs on seven hits, striking out 10 and walking only one. The loss snapped a personal four-game winning streak.
Vandergriff led the Bucs at the plate, going 2-4 with two runs scored, an RBI and a stolen base. Hazelwood and Spetar each stole two bases in game one. Radford was led at the plate by Brooks and Smith, who led the team with two hits each. They also left eight runner on base and committed four errors in the field.
ETSU came out quickly in game two, scoring two runs in the bottom of the first. Spetar singled to center with one out, then stole second and third. After a walk by Chance, senior first baseman Melanie Collinshit an RBI single to centerfield. Jenkins pinch ran for Chance, and after advancing on a fielder's choice by sophomore catcher Sheryl Clark, she came home on a bunt single by Hazelwood.
The Bucs widened their lead to 3-0 after scoring a run in the bottom of the third. Spetar led off the inning with a double to centerfield. She stole third and scored on a fielder's choice by Collins.
East Tennessee State blew the game open with a five-run fifth inning. Collins led the inning off with a triple to right field. Clark followed with an RBI single to center, scoring Collins. Hazelwood reached on a fielder's choice and came home on a subsequent double by Moore. Freshman third baseman Lindsay Lane then tripled to right field to score Moore. Lane came home on a single by senior second baseman April Arnold. Arnold scored following two consecutive errors by the Highlanders.
Jenkins pitched her fourth shutout of the season (11-9), allowing just four hits and striking out two. Teresa Brewer (2-12) took the loss for Radford, pitching three innings and allowing three runs on five hits.
Spetar, Collins, Clark and Arnold each had two hits in game two for the Bucs. Spetar stole three more bases in game two, giving her five for the doubleheader. The Highlanders collected four hits in game two.
The Highlanders return home when they host Virginia Tech tomorrow at 3:00 p.m.
